Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-02-22
DISTRICT assembly NO. 10.
Some Facts About the Organization
and Its Leaders.

Some Facts About the Or%anizatiC
and Its Leaders.
NEW YORK, Feb. 19.-The medieval &c
man Vehmgericht, the Carbonari of Ital
The Nihilists OF Russia, have their counte
part in this country In District Ascend
No. 40. Ii is true that the methods pu
sued are different, but the result in N ar
respects is the same. There are no no
and corner meetings, masked cOnspir
tors or awful penalties, yet the organic
zion is most powerful. Little is know
about it even among those who are force
TO obey it's mandates.
Originally it was, as it still is, a sui
ordinate branch of The Knights OF Labo,
But within year, owing to the manipu
iation OF a small coterle of men, it ha
showed its ability to control its paren
body and to develop into a secret organ
cation OF character that had bee
thought to be incapable OF existence OF
American soil. 1t is doubtful If, even il
the oft-quoted councils OF the NihIlists
absolutism and secrecy prevail to
greater extent than IN this body, original
" established for the benefit and protec
ton of American workingmen.
Within the past year it has through its
leaders gained control of the organIza.
ton OF the Knights OF Labor, it has forced
Master Workman Powderly into a posi-.
ton that has been destructive OF his in.
fuence and prestige, it has changed the
laws Of the order to suit its own end,
upset politics and politicians in New
York city, by compelling, under penaIty
Of Ostraclsm, the rank and file of tbA
Knights OF Labor in New York city o
give support to the Henry George political
crusade. 1t has played by no mems
silent part in the quarrel between Or.
McGlynn and Archbishop Corrigan,a land
recently conducting strike in which
from 10000 to 10000 workmen along our
water front have been engaged and
which has already cost in one wa and
another from $1,000, 900 to $40. 100000.
This ought TO be enough to lat for a
while. But No. 40 has a few other
schemes in sight, such as the atolition Of
interest, the placing of all railoads and
telegraph lines in the hands O the Gov
eminent, the formation of new Labor
party, which is to wipe boti the other
parties out of existence; tie establish
ment of a system that will rrevent man.
kind from being either rich or poor; and
last, but not least, the lection of it's
leader to be Master Workman of the
Knights OF Labor. This is pretty big
programme, but the three leaders in
district Assembly No, 80 are fond of big
programmes.
Three men practically control the
workings OF this remarkable organiza-
ton. These are Tbmas B. Mcguire. of
the General Executive Board OF the |
Knights OF Labor; (ames Z. Quinn, pres |
ent Master WORKMAN OF No. 40, and |
Victor Drury.
Mcguire is a jail, good-looking man.
who wears a douch hat and hair a la
Buffalo Bill. Je loves secrecy and mys-
terry ana haes a newspaper reporter.
The most inanuating scribe can never
get him to tlk, except in the way of
of the ''capitalistic press.O
He once nal a grand scheme to call a
mass meeting of 100000 men in Union
Square bYfneans of a secret circular to
the variOis assemblies of the Knights of
Labor. de thought that the sudden as
sembliTg Of such vast crowd without
warning to the press or police would
causea great sensation. And it would
havecaused a sensation had not couple
Of repOrters, by intuition or otherwise.
gOt Gn mixing OF the scheme ana spoiled
u Iney nave spoiled others equally we'll
ALI, and Mr.. Mcguire has no love for
bsm. He was originally Greenbacker.
I'd is still, for aught l know to the con-
80 = AAAo kASbC SLcdb is 10 ! I
lcceed Powderly as Master Workman
the Knights OF Labor, !
James E. Quinn was also a Cream
acker, and is now an advanced Socialist.
lie is Oh years old, of medium height.
assaOie IN appearance, and is as mys- s
'riOus as Mcguire himself He wants
Il property to be held in cOmmOn, and a
eneral Idea OF his policy may be gained
ON the following sentence, to which he h
ave utterance in Union Square the other i,
ght: !,
Whether we are defeated or not we
lail lnTllct such terrible lesson on the q
ipitatlst and business man that they i
III nave no guarantee of any business O
ing carried through IN the future. 1t .
turmoil and destruction until we get .
hat we want" :
mere may be those who NAV think that :
e ieaoer who thus proposes to upset all !.
larantees of business safety ia not
Use counselor of worKingmen who have =
uepend on business prosperity for ex- 9
,ence" nevertheless, he is practically II
ctator to about 10000 workingmen in .
w 1ork city and the suburbs. y
' iEtor Drury, the remaining member -
Snls interesting trio, is the mphleteer n
u wire puller of No. 40. 1t has been +
~ tnat ne makes the balls and has Ma Il
.Ie ana quinn to fire, them. But at h
rate ne remains in the BACKGROUND. Il
Is more Communist than either of -
,coileagues. If he had his way the :,
iisnts OF Labor would be formed on the h
~ Vi some of the societies of Europe. II
llcn are so secret that no member or ~
: yer knows his Immediate superior, ~
y "nere signs and gripssand eabalistic h.
Al are the means by which bust r.
- Is transacted. This would not be -,
actly IN consonance with American q,
ds, put tits highly doubtful if Victor .,
1fy mas very high regard for Ameri- ~
mere are a few indications inst at II
sent mat the heretofore invincfble No. T.
iaS oegun TO lose it's grip. 1t has not az
60 well in its war upon the capiTalistic 81
90 us latest strike is not progressing !,
r'S ieauers might wish it to. In addi- n
~ u. G9e rank and file of the workmen "
u winch 1t has domineered are begin ~
: 10 rebel. Absolutism NAV be car VI =.
= do 100 lar, and In their enthusiasm the u
oeIs ol NO. 40 have not observed the .,
eH' 10 winch they have gone with it. =,
JOHN FITZGERALD. NJ
A NOTED CRANK n